Bangalore:
Karnataka government today decided to bring private water suppliers under a regulatory network making it mandatory for them to get trade licence and water test certificates from recognised laboratories.
A decision to this effect was adopted at a high level meeting chaired by Minister for Law S Suresh Kumar, attended by Minister for Minor Irrigation Govind Karjol and officials from Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board, Transport, Mines and Geology departments.
The meeting decided that the Karnataka Ground Water Authority will meet tomorrow and frame guidelines for regulating tapping of underground water.
All those who supply water by tankers shall have a trade licence, declaration about the water source from which they supply, display rate for each tanker of water and water test reports, Suresh Kumar told reporters.
Karnataka recently enacted a legislation to regulate underground water exploitation.
Currently there is no control over private water selling outlets, which have been exploiting people by charging exorbitant rates.